St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-05-26
The Executive Board Of the Farmers
Alliance Prepares Document for
the Lesser Organizations,
After Making a Formal Visit to the
State Railroad Commission and
Stating Their Case.
Sale of hort-Horned Cattle at the
State Fair Grounds Considered a
Very Satisfactory One.
TIE FARMERS ALLIANCE.
The Executive Committee Ends
Its Labors for the Present.

ItS 1IaDOrS IOr the Present.
The executive committee of the Farm
erS' Alliance of Minnesota adjourned
last evening and the members distrib-
uted themselves around town to cool the
perspiration on their foreheads. The
meeting has been one that will result in
more or less profit to the agricultural
classes, if the testimony of the commit
tee goes for anything.
a formal visit was paid to the state
railroad commission yesterday morning
by the executive committee of the
State Farmers alliance. The address of
the alliance, which was published in the
GLOBE yesterday, was read, and copy
of it, after correction, will be left
with the commission to-day. Then
Messrs. Barrett, Dimond, Haigh,
Hodgson, Atwood, Canning, Bowen and
Olson gave i'll turn the commission a
short talk on the railroad question, the
bent of their remarks being that the
alliance desired an all around reduction
of grain rates.
Gen. Barrett was anxious to impress
upon the railroad commission the ne
cessity and Importance of enforcing the
law, and II. c. Bowen made COMPARE
son between the rates between Chicago
and st. Paul and between st. Paul and
his home at Wall Lake. He pointed out
the discrimination, and said that last
year the commissioners permitted the
Manitoba road to make their local pas
Senger rates 4 cents per mile, and that
this rate has never been fixed
by the Northern Pacific. He demanded
that same rates be given as other roads
are compelled to give, running east
ward from st. Paul. Charles Canning
said the farmers were promised by the
commission reduction of rates last
year, but that promise was never real
led
Gen. Becker replied that the matter
of passenger rates was about to be rem
edied, as the officials of the Manitoba
and Northern Pacific had been notified
to appear before the board at a date in
the near future to explain why the law
had not been complied with in this
respect. He assured the gentlemen that
the commission was labOring earnestly
to redress their wrongs, and that the
commission was willing to labor for
prOpOrtiQnate equality.
Assurance was given by the commits
sion that all that could be done for the
benefit of the public would be done, re-
speeding both passenger and, freight
rates, and the alliance was notified that
a meeting of the railroad commissioners
of all the Northwestern states will be
held at the capitol, June s, for the pur-
pose of considering the long and short
haul clause.
Gen. Becker, when asked who had
authority to enforce the HiXOn freedom
of traffic law, said that such authority
was vested in the attorney general.
POST PRANDIAL PROCEEDINGS.
The treasurer of the alliance read his
report when the committee was called
TO order after dinner, and showed that
there was balance Of 1898 i'll the treas
ury. There are 1872 subordinate alli-
ances organized and twenty-eight county
organizations. 1t was decided to de-
pend on voluntary contributions for the
support of the work until next fall,
when some other plan will be devised
for raising funds.
Messrs. Hodgson, Haigh and Canning
prepared an address to the subordinate
alliances which was presented and
adopted. The address was in substance
as follows:
THE ADDRESS.
To the Members of the Farmers AL
lance in misunderstanding: Your
executive committee in session at st.
Paul, May "a and %, 1887, feel compelled
to congratulate our society everywhere
upon the very marked success which
has attended them labor in the correction
of long-establiShed abuses, as well as in
the enactment of laws that, faithfully
executed, will ultimately result in
the entire freedom of our markets
throughout the country and the adoption
and enforcement of policy of perfect
equality in every legitimate industry in
the land. 1t would be easy to prove
that the farmers of Minnesota are get
ting from 10 to 20 cents per buShel more
for their wheat than they would under
the condition of trade and traffic which
existed three years ago, and that in the
same time the evils in the grading and
weighing of grain have been greatly
abated, if not entirely destroyed. Be-
You'd all this, and perhaps better than
all this, is the influence which our prin-
ciples have eXerted upon public
felt, feared and respected throughout
the land. 1t has even been alleged by
our enemies that the present interstate
railroad law is due to the Farmers al
lance of Minnesota, and we take pride
in believing there is truth in their
charges. Much, however, remains to be
done. There is need of strong, united
and determined action. Your commit
tee can do nothing without your earnest
and loyal support. Our strength is in
the people. Only such laws
and such principles as are writ
ten in the hearts of the
people will endure or long preserve
their liberties. We want to reach the
hearts as well as the intellects of the
people To do this involves much work
and some expense. Deeply sensible of
the pressure of prevailing ''hard times"
and the poverty of many of our fellow
farmers. we nevertheless believe that
an earnest people will find way to de-
fray the slight expense which our great
work involves. Your committee, after
careful deliberation, finds itself un-
willing to declare the forfeiture
of any charter or the suspen-
sion of any member on account of
non-payment of dues according to the
rules of our society. We are disposed
to trust largely to the goodwill, gener-
osity and liberality of our membership.
We recognize the fact that some can af-
ford to pay more than others for the
support of our cause. We therefore
recommend that an earnest effort be
made in every county in this state to
obtain funds for the state alliance
by voluntary contributions. 1t is
raised will largely if not en-
tirely offset the deficiency caused by
delinquent dues. This committee
discouraged and probably prevented the
passage of a bill granting $1,000 from
the state to the alliance, in the full be-
lief that the farmers of this state were
too virtuous and independent to allow
their cherished organization to become
the pensioner of the state. A small con-
tribution from each member of the alli-
ance, promptly forwarded, will enable
the executive committee to vigorously
prosecute the work given it to do. Shall
we have it?
A resolution of Messrs. Drummond
and Haigh's, to have the agricultural
bureau furnish farmers associations